Career Summary

Biography

My PhD on the topic was critical times of heat and mass transport through multiple layers. From the week after I submitted my PhD until late 2011 I was employed as a Research Fellow in infectious disease modelling, at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, ANU. I received a Lift-off Fellowship from the Australian Mathematics Society to attend a 2 week masters level course at the University of Utrecht on the mathematical modelling of infectious diseases. December 2011 I started a 4 year University of Newcastle Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. Service * Webmaster of ANZIAM * Webmaster for the Mathematical Biology special interest group of ANZIAM Professional Memberships * Australian Mathematics Society * ANZIAM * Society for Mathematical Biology * Public Health Association of Australia Research ExpertiseI am an applied mathematician with particular expertise in modelling and industrial applications. I have wide ranging interests from diffusion and heat transfer to infectious disease modelling. My reserach interests inlude: * Mathematical modelling of infectious diseases * Tuberculosis spread including the effects of HIV and multi-drug resistance * The effect of increasing diabetes prevalence on TB * Dengue fever: impacts of vector control, climate change effects on the spread, transmission through blood transfusion * Spatially dependent disease spread models * Critical times of heat and mass transfer

Journal article (15 outputs)

Background Although tuberculosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, available funding falls far short of that required for effective control. Economic and spil... [more]

Background Although tuberculosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, available funding falls far short of that required for effective control. Economic and spillover consequences of investments in the treatment of tuberculosis are unclear, particularly when steep gradients in the disease and response are linked by population movements, such as that between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Australian cross-border region. Objective To undertake an economic evaluation of Australian support for the expansion of basic Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course in the PNG border area of the South Fly from the current level of 14% coverage. Methods Both cost-utility analysis and cost-benefit analysis were applied to models that allow for population movement across regions with different characteristics of tuberculosis burden, transmission, and access to treatment. Cost-benefit data were drawn primarily from estimates published by the World Health Organization, and disease transmission data were drawn from a previously published model. Results Investing $16 million to increase basic Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course coverage in the South Fly generates a net present value of roughly $74 million for Australia (discounted 2005 dollars). The cost per disability-adjusted life-year averted and quality-adjusted life-year saved for PNG is $7 and $4.6, respectively. Conclusions Where regions with major disparities in tuberculosis burden and health system resourcing are connected through population movements, investments in tuberculosis control are of mutual benefit, resulting in net health and economic gains on both sides of the border. These findings are likely to inform the case for appropriate investment in tuberculosis control globally.